The profession of Radiation Therapy involves the use of high-energy radiation in the treatment of disease, primarily cancer. Radiation therapy may be used alone or in combination with surgery and chemotherapy. As a team member, the radiation therapist administers radiation to the exact area of the patient's body as prescribed by a physician. Most patients are treated 5 days per week for several weeks. As a result, the radiation therapist has a unique opportunity to develop a relationship with their patient. Radiation therapists monitor the patient's progress while they are receiving radiation therapy, observe for signs of complications, and determine when treatment should be withheld until a physician is consulted.They also are a significant source of emotional support for the patient.

Mission

The mission of the Radiation Therapy program is to provide high-quality, professional radiation therapy education to undergraduate students by: preparing graduates in radiation therapy to meet the needs of society through theory-based radiation therapy practice; preparing graduates who have the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with respect for cultural and human diversity; maintaining a radiation therapy curriculum that reflects the interactive aspects of radiation therapy with the psychosocial behavioral, physical, and natural sciences; collaborating with local and regional institutions/organizations to provide access to professional radiation therapy education; promoting service and scholarly endeavors relating to health care needs of the community of Flint and Southeastern Michigan; promoting lifelong learning for graduates in Radiation Therapy.

Vision

Students will be clinically competent.

Students will communicate effectively.

Students will use critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Students will appreciate social and cultural diversity.

Students will evaluate the importance of professional lifelong learning and service.

Admission into the Radiation Therapy Program

The Radiation Therapy Program Director must receive application materials by May 1 of the calendar year of the intended Summer semester enrollment. Students will be admitted in the Summer term only.

Students applying to the program who are not UM-Flint students at the time of application must also submit a completed UM-Flint application including any transfer transcripts, indicating "Radiation Therapy" as the proposed field of study. The Radiation Therapy program application can be downloaded here: Radiation Therapy Program application, or picked up in 3124 WSW, the Department of Public Health and Health Sciences.

Admissions Process:

Depending on the number of annual applicants, the Program reserves the right to interview twice as many applicants as there are clinical seats available. The Program can accommodate up to 10 students, depending upon clinical site availability; therefore the interviews will be limited to 20 applicants.

The applicants will be chosen for interviews based on the following criterion:

Overall GPA

GPA for MTP 320

GPA for BIO 167 and BIO 168

GPA for PHY 143 and PHY 145

Completion of Observation Hours.

Demonstration of certification in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) from the American Heart Association. This certification must remain current throughout the program.

Completion of all prerequisites.

Submission of all required application materials, including three references.

Demonstration of professionalism during advising sessions and observations at UMHS.

Applicants for the Program will be evaluated on the above criteria as well as:

Interview scores

Writing sample evaluation by an independent evaluator.

The Interview Process For The Radiation Therapy Program:

Please report 15 minutes before your interview time to the Health Sciences and Administration Department. You may be asked to wait in our sitting area. We may already be with another student and will be with you shortly.

The interview will last approximately 30 minutes. There will be three to five people on the Radiation Therapy Interview Committee. You will be asked approximately 12 to 16 questions involving information about yourself, your interest in Radiation Therapy, your work and life experiences, your radiation oncology observations, and qualifications.

Applicants will be reviewed for communication skills and the ability to deal with stressful situations, their awareness of the duties of a radiation therapist, and overall characteristics that would be most beneficial for the applicant to possess.

The applicants are notified within two weeks of their interview through the Radiation Therapy Department first by email, and then by mail.

Once admitted into the program the student must earn a minimum grade of a B- in all courses.

Prior to beginning the clinical component of the program, the student is required to have a completed physical.

Articulation Agreements

Washtenaw Community College
Delta College

These agreements do not guarantee acceptance into the UM-FLINT Bachelor of Science in Radiation Therapy. Students will be considered on an equal basis with all other applicants provided they meet the prerequisites for admission to the Radiation Therapy Program as specified in the current UM-FLINT catalog.